Misguided Fear
by rubywonderland
Summary: Dr. Crane never needed help with his experiments before. But when he meets Alice Huntley, he finds that she may be just what he's been looking for. Summary isn't very good. I do not own Batman or anything related to the franchise. Full summary inside!
1. Encounter

"Don't be afraid!" It growled menacingly at her. She yelled, and ran the other way. Alice Huntley works for the Gotham Gossip, and lives on her own. She's skittish, and one night she runs into Dr. Crane, who offers his services. Soon she finds that she may be more afraid of things than she first thought. Is she crazy? Precariously, Alice tries to balance work, love, and her sanity.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Batman universe, or any of the related characters. (I wish.) They belong to DC comics and Christopher Nolan.

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The sun hung low over the sky scrapers and high-rises of Gotham city, as if sending a signal to the criminals to prepare themselves for a night of thieving and murdering.

The streets were nearly empty, save a few business men returning home after a long day at work. Business men and Alice Huntley, that was.

Alice herself was a business woman, in her own respective rights. She worked at The Gotham Gossip, the local gossip magazine, which in her mind could be credited alongside People magazine if it would ever be recognized. She was a reporter, one of the top reporters. She also edited all her own articles, because no one else had ever correctly edited it to her approval.

She loved journalism and had gone to college for it. Her job paid her graciously, supplying her with what she needed. Alice was single, and lived in a two bedroom apartment with her dog, since she didn't need a lot of space.

And now she walked home in the dim sunlight. She usually drove, but on Wednesdays she liked to walk home, since she worked in a fairly nice area, and she didn't live near the narrows. She hadn't meant to stay so late at work, and now it was getting dark. It was usually reasonably light outside, but the long shadows made her apprehensive. Nervously, she picked up her pace.

Alice wrinkled her nose when she smelled alcohol. Up ahead a man sat on the curb, and from the smell, Alice could tell that he was drunk. Why couldn't it be easy to walk home? Alice took a deep breath to calm herself. It was pretty dark by now, and she didn't like the idea of being so vulnerable.

As she passed the man, Alice swore she could hear him stand up. Her heart pounding in her chest, she looked over her shoulder. The man was gone. And now Alice was _really_ freaked out. He was following her, she was sure of it. She had to get away from this area.

Alice ran, breathing heavily. Her imagination created footsteps pounding behind her, chasing her. She glanced over her shoulder, and seeing a foreign shape, screamed, and ran into a wall.

Of course, it wasn't really a wall. And running in to it had cleared her mind, made her realize nothing had been chasing her. Rubbing her head and pushing her dark brown hair out of her eyes, she looked up from her spot on the ground.

He was scrutinizing her with a look of interest, and hidden amusement, like he had just discovered something that he had been looking for, for a long time. Of course when Alice stood up, she couldn't see it in his face.

He was a thin man, but he was built well. He had dark hair and rimless glasses, which showed off his crystal blue eyes. He wore a suit, which made him look very professional. He cleared his throat.

"Can I help you?" He asked coldly, surveying the girl in front of him who seemed so enthralled by his appearance. Alice shook herself out of her reverie.

"Oh- I'm sorry- I just thought I saw-" She stammered, glancing over her shoulder again. She looked frightened. "I really didn't mean to bump into you-" She stopped for a moment, and looked at the man. He didn't look impressed with her ramblings. "We haven't met, have we?" Alice implored. He looked so familiar…

"Perhaps. I'm Dr. Jonathan Crane." Oh yes, Alice had seen an article in the paper about him the other day. He was the young director of Arkham Asylum. People said he was crazy, but she didn't exactly believe it.

"Oh." Alice answered "Well...my name's Alice. Err, Huntley. And I really am sorry for bumping into you. My imagination gets the best of me sometimes…"

"You were running because you were scared." It wasn't a question, but a statement, and it took Alice aback a bit.

"Well…yes." She confessed.

"Tell me, Ms. Huntley, what were you running from? What are you afraid of?" He inquired, and Alice was surprised at his forwardness. She blinked her green eyes while she quickly thought up an answer.

"I…Well; I thought I saw someone moving in one of the shadows. And I guess I'm afraid of the night…. Usually. And when I can't see in the dark..."

"Interesting." He said, an eyebrow raised. "Maybe I can help you." He declared, reaching into his coat. Alice took a step back.

"Help me with…"

"Your fears." He finished, and he pulled a thin card out of a pocket. "I'm the director of Arkham Asylum. You should stop by sometime." He regarded her with his intelligent blue eyes, and held out the card to her. Alice took it; it had his name and office number on it.

"Thank you." She nodded. "Well, I better go. I think I took a wrong turn while I was running, so I should head back. Uhm, it was nice talking to you, I might stop in sometime." Alice added, and smiled. He nodded, as if in approval to her decision.

She smiled one last time, and walked off, her smile falling as she did so. He was charming, but she felt as if he was watching her every step, and when she turned the corner, she got a fleeting glimpse of him, walking the other way. Alice frowned, and glanced at the card in her hand before shoving it in her pocket. Her hand came away wet, and slightly sticky. It was from the card, as if it had just been sprayed. She shrugged it off and wiped her hand on her pants, continuing on her way home.

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Whew, it's over for this chapter! Sorry for any mistakes, and I hope it wasn't too horrible. This is my first fic that I've posted/plan on continuing with. I'm actually kinda nervous to hear what you think, aha. Review, please, it's appreciated!


	2. Scare Tactics

**A/N** Alright, chapter two! Woohoo! I've gotten a little traffic on this, but reviews would still be VERY nice. Enjoy!

Disclamer: I do not own the universe of Batman, or any related characters. They belong to DC comics, Christopher Nolan, and whoever else. Blah Blah Blah.

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Up creaky steps and down the hallway Alice went, until she reached her apartment, number Forty-five. She put the key into the door, and walked into the dark house. She immediately flipped on the lights, and sighed, glad to be home, and in a well-lit room. Alice hated being in a dark room, or anywhere that was dark, for the matter. Within seconds she heard the familiar yapping of her Sheltie, Toby. He ran to her and licked her hand. She petted him, and then took off her coat and hung it up on the coat rack. Alice walked into her kitchen and started to make dinner for herself, hungry from her long day. She decided on pasta.

In fifteen minutes the pasta was ready. Alice drained it, and put the sauce she had warmed over the top. She went to her living room to eat, and sat on the couch. She turned on her TV, and flipped the channels while she ate, ignoring the tedious news shows and laughing at the so called 'reality' shows.

When Alice finished her dinner, she returned to the kitchen, and cleaned up. She then went to her room, and took off the pants she had been wearing, and switched them for a clean pair. She observed the dirty pair and shook her head, recalling her foolishness and her encounter with Dr. Crane. Reaching into the pocket, she pulled out the card he had given her. It read;

_Dr. Jonathan Crane. _

_ Asylum Director._

_Psychiatric Care & Rehabilitation._

_Arkham Asylum__._

If it had been wet before, it was dry now. But the pants…she picked them up again and found the spot where she had wiped her hand. It was still slightly wet, and Alice brought it up to her face, and smelled it, wondering if it had been cologne or some unknown substance.

It wasn't cologne.

The lights turned off, and Alice was alone in the dark room. She dropped the pants, and the card. She looked around, but she wasn't able to see anything.

Suddenly, she saw hands reach out for her from the darkness. She screamed, and ran to the door. Just as she reached for the knob, it became a huge spider, fangs out and ready to strike. Again, she screamed for her life. She quickly opened the door, and ran to the living room. Toby was seated on the couch, scrutinizing her with red eyes.

_Has his eyes always been red?_ A panicking voice in her head asked. He barked, and the noise echoed loudly though the house. She ran for the door, but a shadow stood there that looked like a menacing man. Closing her eyes, she ran right by him, or, right through him, had she been thinking straight. She flung open the door, and a giant cobweb blocked the exit. Again, she took a breath, and ran through it. She ran all the way out of the building, and searched the lot for her car. But instead of her car, now, it was a horse with a Scarecrow riding on it.

"Don't be afraid!" It growled menacingly at her, pointing at her with an outstretched hand. She yelled, and ran the other way, feeling the pounding footfalls of the horse behind her She didn't know how long she ran, or how far, or how she managed to escape, but she eventually collapsed somewhere, and fell asleep.

Alice woke up to hands shaking her. She looked up to see the face of Dr. Crane looking down at her.

"Ms. Huntley? I was just walking through the park, and I saw you asleep here. What are you doing here?" He asked. She sleepily rubbed her eyes, and sat up. She was indeed at the park.

"Oh. I…my house…it was awful." Were the only words she could form. He looked at her from behind blue eyes.

"You might have more of a problem than I first thought. Maybe I could see you for an appointment tomorrow? Is that a good day for you?" He asked her. Her head was still fuzzy, but she was able to think long enough to answer.

"Uhm, yes, that's a good idea...What time?"

"How about noon?" He inquired.

"Okay, yeah. That'd be great." She agreed. He extended a hand to help her up. She took it, and steadied herself.

"Do you need me to help you home?" He asked, worry in his voice.

"No, I'll be alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Dr. Crane." She replied.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Alice." He finished, and smiled before turning around and walking away. Alice smiled to herself before walking away.

As Alice walked back to her apartment, she thought about the night before. How had her imagination conjured up such terrible images? Maybe she had dreamed it, and had sleepwalked to the park. She tried to convince herself of this as she opened her apartment door.

The lights were still on, and the coffee table was knocked over. Alice frowned. It had seemed like the lights had gone _out._Apparently they hadn't. Alice picked up the coffee table, and sighed. She'd have to call her boss and make up an excuse for being late, or not going in at all. She decided on the former, and picked up the phone.

She dialed the office number, and it rang three times.

"The Gotham Gossip, how can I help you?" A woman answered.

"Hey Annie, it's Alice. Can you tell Mr.-"

"Alice! Where have you been?" She cut her off, obviously worried. Alice sighed.

"Well, last night…my…my car broke down. I just got it fixed this morning." She lied. "Can you tell Mr. Fitzgerald that I'll be in late?"

"Sure, Alice! But hurry in. By the way, you have some mail. Oh, and-"

"Annie, really, I got to go. Thanks." She hung up, and thanked God that the receptionist was her best friend. Annie, whose full name was Anastasia, had met Alice when she had been put on as a reporter for the magazine.

Alice walked into her room, and picked up Dr. Crane's card. She examined it, reading it over.

Alice screamed when she heard barking, and spun around.

Toby sat in the doorway, waging his tail happily.

"Toby!" Alice squealed. She had almost forgotten about him, he must've run off when Alice collapsed in the park. "Yes, did you have a good time running around last night?" Alice cooed, and Toby licked her face as she bent down to pet him. She laughed, and went to get ready for work.

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**A/N** AH, I can't believe I'm doing this! I hoped you enjoyed this, and sorry for any mistakes. If I didn't make it clear, that was Fear Toxin on the card. Heh, I don't know the specifics of how long it lasts, but I'm hoping that it's possible. Anyway, REVIEW!


	3. Office Daze

**A/N:** Hey there! Chapter Three is finally done! This one's a little longer, and I hope you'll enjoy!

**Before we go on, I'd like to mention something really quick. In my story, right now, Dr. Crane is kind of experimenting with his formula, and it doesn't always need an antidote. AND when it does, in my story, the antidote won't make you immune to it for now.**

Disclamer: The BATMAN UNIVERSE belongs to DC Comics. Not me….sadly.

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Alice pushed open the office doors, and a burst of cool air met her. She smiled. She loved working at the Gossip, even if things got hectic a lot. That was why she had a four day weekend. Tomorrow would be Friday, and she would be free.

"Alice!" Annie called from the front desk. She smiled at her, and Alice walked over to her.

"Have I missed anything big today?" Alice inquired.

"Nothing huge. Mr. Fitzgerald wanted you to come to his office when you came in though."

"Oh…thanks, Annie."

Alice walked to her boss's office quietly, avoiding bumping into anyone and starting up a conversation. She knocked timidly, and a booming voice answered.

"Come in! Come in!"

Alice opened the door and stepped inside. If he had found out that she had lied, it could be possible that she was fired.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Fitzgerald?" Alice asked quietly. When he heard her, Mr. Fitzgerald looked up at her and smiled.

"Ah, Alice! Get your car fixed then? Come, sit." Alice smiled, and nodded. What a relief to know that he _didn't_ know. "I have an assignment for you Alice, and I think you're going to like it." He smiled broadly. "This will be great for the magazine!" He finished, to no one in particular.

"Yes?" Alice asked, unsure. Some of Mr. Fitzgerald's assignments to her were exciting to him, and yes, important to the magazine, but boring to her nonetheless.

"A certain man is back in town. Apparently he just got back yesterday." Mr. Fitzgerald got up and walked to the window. "He's been gone for seven years. Everyone thought he was dead!" This wasn't adding up in Alice's mind at all.

"Mr. Fitzgerald, what are you talking about?"

"Alice! Haven't you seen the newspaper today?" He inquired, digging under a mountain of documents for today's paper. He tossed it at Alice and she began reading it. Her eyes grew wide.

"You mean Bruce Wayne…is…is _back_?" Her eyes continued to skim over the page. Mr. Fitzgerald nodded with a large grin set upon his face.

"Yes. Now, as you can imagine, he's up to his ears in interviews, so we'll have a spot in-"

"Wait, you mean you want _me_ to interview _Bruce Wayne_?"

"Well of course! I told you you'd love this assignment!"

They went over the finer details of the interview for a good fifteen minutes. They would have the interview at the beginning of next month. She would meet him at Wayne Manor (_Wayne Manor_!) and it would take off from there.

"Thank you, again, so much!" Alice sputtered. She backed up towards the door in a sort of bow and repeated her thanks. Mr. Fitzgerald waved her off with a broad smile.

The door closed with a click behind Alice. All was silent for a moment as she started thinking of the interview. Off she went, hurrying down the hallway and around the corner.

Until she ran straight into the mail cart, and lost her footing. Alice fell with an oomph onto the ground. The file that Mr. Fitzgerald had given her flew out of her grasp and the contents fluttered down to the floor around her. It was the second time she had fallen on her butt in two days. Annoyed, Alice watched as the mail cart wheeled right on past her.

"Sorry Miss Huntley!" Mark, the mail boy, called out. Just as she was about to call out to the little jerk, strong hands lifted her up from behind.

"You alright?" The man's voice asked in concern. Alice straightened her skirt and steadied herself when she was firmly on her feet.

"Yeah, Mark's just being a jerk, as usual." She smiled, meeting his green-eyed gaze.

"No surprise there." Daniel retorted. He bent down and collected the papers from the floor and handed her the complete file. "So, you come into work late, go straight to Mr. Fitzgerald's office, and you're hurry to get somewhere. Not in trouble, I hope?" He grinned, with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Alice grinned.

"No- none at all! My uh…car broke down last night, so I had to get it fixed. And, Mr. Fitzgerald wanted to give me details about a pretty big interview!" She waggled the folder around in the air.

"I see! So, who's it with?"

"Bruce Wayne." Alice beamed at him. Daniel laughed.

"Well good for you! Maybe you can get some dirty details out of him, eh?" He grinned and Alice giggled. The silence grew between them as Alice stared into Daniels bright green eyes.

"Well, I think I should get back to work…" Alice said shyly as she tore her gaze away from Daniel. He nodded and went back to his desk. Alice turned to go back to work, catching a sly grin from Annie at the front desk.

xxxx

Most of the staff at The Gossip took their lunch during the same hour. That was now, and Alice and Annie ate their meals in silence, savoring their food.

"Did you catch the news this morning, Chris?" Ruby, one of the Gossip's photographers, asked, picking her way though her salad. He shook his head, and Ruby continued. "Someone got a video of this woman running around downtown by the park, screaming. Nobody saw who it was, but she looked pretty scared. Said she was screaming something about a scarecrow."

Alice froze completely, paralyzed by Ruby's words. Was that…her? No, it couldn't…

"Someone said something was chasing her on a horse, but nobody saw that." She finished.

"This town is crazy." Chris commented with a thoughtful frown. He and Ruby collected their things and left the lunchroom to return to work. Alice still sat stock still, and watched them leave.

"Hello-o? Earth to Alice?" Annie waved her hand around, trying to get Alice's attention. "Anyone there?" She prodded. Alice looked at her and blinked.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I just spaced for a second there. Where you saying something?" She smiled, trying not to give herself away. Annie rolled her eyes and resumed talking.

"Hey, I was going to tell you something on the phone this morning, but you cut me off."

"I had to get ready for work!" Alice protested.

"I know, I know! Anyway," She leaned in close to her, "Daniel asked about you this morning." She teased. "When you didn't come in on time." Now Alice rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please, Annie. I was late. I'm never late! Of course someone's gonna ask where I am! It means _nothing_." Alice argued before taking a drink of her water.

"Alice, do you _see _the way he looks at you? He obviously- Oh, hi, Daniel!" Annie sputtered, quickly changing the subject as the man himself approached. Alice's eyes grew wide with surprise. She spun around and hastily greeted Daniel.

Their conversation didn't last long, but it was long enough for Annie to give Alice a sly smile, like a good friend would. Soon lunch was over, and it was time for all three to go back to work.

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**A/N:** Alright! I'm glad I could make this chapter longer, I know the other two have been kinda short. I hope this chapter isn't too 'all good', ya know, I hope there was enough going on in it, and I hope it wasn't too boring! Thanks again for reading! R&R!


	4. Appointment

**A/N:** Hello! I have finally managed to finish this chapter! I really do hope you enjoy! R&R, please!

_I would also like to say something else about the story…In Batman Begins, everything kinda happens like bang bang bang. I know I introduced the concept of Bruce coming back quite early in the story, so I am going to make more time for Dr. Crane and alice to get to know each other, and let the story develop before he's revealed as Scarecrow._

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Alice woke up Friday morning, groggy from some sort of nightmare that made her head swim with images that she tried to place before they disappeared. Her alarm went off at nine and Alice obediently got up. She rubbed her eyes and tried to remember what had made her set her alarm on her day off. She would have blissfully slept another hour and a half or so if she hadn't been jolted awake.

Oh, right…Her appointment with Dr. Crane. Unease suddenly rose up in Alice. Did she really need to go see him? She could just forget about it. It was just one freak incident… Or she just talk to someone else. Like her mom…no, that would be a bad idea. That would bring up the question of relationships…and she didn't want to deal with that. Besides, her mother would probably tell her to go see a physiatrist anyway.

She knew for sure that she wouldn't tell Annie. She would flip. Who was she kidding? She had no one else to talk to.

By the time Alice had convinced herself that is was a good idea to go, it was already nine thirty. The appointment wasn't until noon, but she still had to shower, do her hair, and well, everything else, including actually driving up to Arkham.

When she was finished and just about to head out the door, butterflies rose in her stomach. Alice blushed and turned to the mirror.

"No." She told herself. "You are not going to try to impress a physiatrist. Especially one who might think you're crazy. You'll look even crazier." She humped. Even as she said it the butterflies came back. Alice let out an irritated sigh and set out to Arkham.

She approached the island and looked up at it in awe. Alice had never been to this part of town before, and she had never had the need to. She parked in the office parking lot, and nervously opened the door to her impending doom.

It seemed like any other office. Of course she had never been in a physiatrist office before. Alice checked her watch. She wasn't too early, was she? No, it was just now eleven fifty-five. Not wanting to block the doorway or have people stare at her, she walked to the front desk.

"Excuse me," She said quietly. The woman that had been writing down something on a file looked up at her. "Uhm, I have an appointment with Dr. Crane." Alice continued, perhaps even quieter than before. "At twelve." She added. Her mouth grew dry as the woman looked at her for a moment. Did she think that she was crazy?

"I'll tell him that you're here." The woman smiled. "What's your name?"

"Oh, it's Alice Huntley."

"I'll be right back."

Before she knew it, Alice was ushered down a long hallway and to the door of Dr. Crane's office. The woman hesitated a moment before turning back to go to her desk, glancing at the unopened door and quickly back to Alice. Did the woman think she was crazy like Dr. Crane's other visitors? Did Dr. Crane himself think she was crazy? Then she thought to herself, _Am I really crazy? _ The loud clacking of high heels on the hard marble floor brought Alice back to reality. The woman was gone, and now she had to open the door.

The door opened very quietly. Alice stepped inside the office, the carpet muffling the sound of her steps. Dr. Crane sat at his desk frantically writing something down. He hadn't noticed her come in. Alice opened her mouth to announce herself, but Dr. Crane's head shot up. Alice's mouth snapped shut.

"Ms. Huntley. I'm glad you came." Alice nodded silently, her mouth still dry. "Have a seat." She closed the door and timidly sat down in the seat across from him at his desk. "Are you comfortable?" He inquired. Alice nodded and then remembered she hadn't said anything yet.

"Y-yes. Thank you." She would have blushed, but instead, she felt the color drain out of her face. Dr. Crane didn't seem to notice, in fact, he probably thought it was normal. Dr. Crane wrote something down on what Alice assumed to be a list of notes about her, and began.

"Do you remember anything about Wednesday night?" Dr. Crane coaxed. Alice fidgeted in her seat. "Anything at all?"  
"Uhm...well, I was just standing in my room. And all of a sudden it was dark. Hands reached out for me, but I ran away. There was a spider...and my dog..."Her lips quivered, threatening to let out a sob. "Well," she composed herself and continued. "I ran out of the house and out to the parking lot of my apartment building. I don't remember much, but I think there was a..." She blushed and looked at her hands and ringed them in her lap. "It doesn't sound believable." Alice chewed on her lip thoughtfully.  
"I'll believe you." Dr. Crane promised. Alice looked in his eyes and saw his sincerity.

"A scarecrow." She said, looking him straight in the eye. He nodded and wrote something down.

"Is there something from your past, perhaps, that would fuel a fear of a scarecrow?" He asked, no emotion ever showing on his visage.

"Well, no, I always thought that they were funny…" Alice trailed off into a mumble.

"Maybe you saw something while you were outside that looked like a scarecrow." Alice shrugged, and they moved on. He asked her more questions about her personal life. Her family, her work, seemingly normal things for a physiatrist to ask. Time passed while they conversed.

"When we first talked, you mentioned a couple things that you are afraid of. Is it alright if we talk about that?" He questioned in his professional tone. Alice gave him a quick nod. She was surprised he remembered so much about their first encounter. "Well, you said that you are afraid of the night, and when you can't see in the dark. Xenophobia is the fear of the unknown, which could be equal to not being able to see in the dark, and not knowing what's there. Now, you were more direct with being afraid of the dark, and that would be Nyctophobia." Alice was surprised to hear this information. Such big words to describe what she had thought to be her little fears. Dr. Crane sat comfortably, leaning on his desk with his hands clasped in front of him.

"Do you…really think that it's serious?"

"It well may be, with your occurrence." He said sagely. "I'd like to help you, help you figure out why this happened." Alice thought deeply. What if it _did_ happen again? She would need help, and Dr. Crane seemed to understand.

"I think that's a good idea."

"Good, then we can meet again? Friday's seem to be good." Alice agreed, and they talked over the details. Alice left feeling significantly more confident in her decision to come see Dr. Crane. Although, she didn't think that she would be telling anyone about this anytime soon.

Xxx

When Alice left his office, Dr. Crane let a wry smile to play across his face. She was perfect. She believed every word he said. And she was scared just enough. Just enough to toy with her, to make it better…or to make it worse.

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**A/N:** Woo! Another chapter down! I'm glad I got this one done, I was so stuck on some of these parts. I hope you enjoyed this! And I really hope I kept the good doctor in character enough! R&R! I love you all! :D


	5. Distracted

**A/N: **Omg I finished another chapter! AND I managed to keep it about the same length as the other ones! Anyway, I have to get to work on Chapter 6 still! I hope you enjoy this chapter! (: R&R!

Disclamer: Batman Belongs to DC Comics. Christopher Nolan's universe belongs to him. NOT ME!

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Morning news, pop songs, classical music, radio dramas; all could be heard in Alice's car Wednesday morning. One hand on the wheel, another on the radio button. She flipped though the stations eagerly, wishing to find something that would distract her. Feeling as if she had gone through all the stations twice, she turned it off as she pulled to a halt at the light.

It had been four days, almost a week, since her appointment with Dr. Crane. And she had been perfectly fine until today. The last night she had dreamt of being locked up in Arkham, labeled as crazy for the rest her life. She knew it was a silly notion, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the dream had left her with.

A loud honk filled the sir, and Alice realized that she had been staring off into space and hadn't realized that the light had turned. She set off again and shook her head at herself.

She turned into the lot of the Gossip and parked. Alice set her head on the wheel, taking in a deep breath. She _had_ to pull herself together. One dream couldn't ruin her entire day.

It was still early, and the office was quiet. Alice was thankful for the stillness as she set her belongings down and sat down at her desk. A yellow post-it note was stuck to her computer screen.

_Alice- Meeting this morning. Don't forget._

It was written in a messy scrawl, not her own. It wasn't Annie's either, she observed.

A figure passed by her office window, and Alice looked up. Daniel waved at her as he passed by, coffee in hand. Alice looked down at the note, and up to Daniel's passing form. Alice smiled to herself, and grabbed her notepad and pen.

Since the month was coming to a close, it was time for Mr. Fitzgerald to inform his staff of the month's sales. For some reason he loved doing so, and went on about it for a good while. The subject always bored Alice, and she resisted the urge to let out a long sigh.

Alice's vision blurred as she thought about her dream, Dr. Crane, her appointment with him…and just about everything else relating to the subject. She took no interest in the meeting at hand. Her hand lazily moved around her notepad, making loops and circles that had no meaning.

"Now when Alice goes to interview...Alice?" A seemingly distant voice said. Alice brought her head up, aware that everyone seemed to be looking at her.

"Yes?" she asked innocently, a light blush growing on her cheeks.

"You seem a little distant. Everything alright?" Mr. Fitzgerald prodded with an expectant look on his face. Apparently she had drifted off for longer than she had meant to.

"Oh, I'm fine. Really." She assured him with a weak smile. He gave her an apprehensive look, and continued.

"Alright, when Alice goes to interview Bruce Wayne…" Murmurs grew among the staff, and Alice's mind drifted off again until the end of the meeting.

When it was finally over, Alice rushed out of the meeting room. She was going to take a break, get away from the office for at least ten minutes. She needed to pull herself together enough to concentrate on her work.

The jacket that lay on Alice's chair was flung into the air, and onto her back. She briskly walked to the front desk, and informed Annie that she would be back in ten. She stepped toward the heavy door and set a hand on the handle.

Another hand pulled her back.

"Hey, are you alright?" Daniel asked. Alice turned around and tried to smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need a break, yah know? Just…a lot going through my mind."

"You sure? You seemed a little off, at the meeting." Daniel remarked, sincere concern in his gaze. Alice smiled.

"I'm fine. I mean, I'll be fine. There's nothing that a good walk to clear your mind can't fix." Daniel nodded.

"Sure you don't want some company?" Alice looked at her feet, and back up to him.

"No, I-I'll be fine. But thanks…for reminding me about the meeting." Daniel nodded at her and she left, feeling more flustered than she would have thought herself to be.

xxxx

A coffee and ten minutes later, Alice sat at her desk, busily typing away. She had ridded herself of her negative thoughts, and managed to narrowly avoid any questions about her odd behavior of earlier.

It wouldn't do to think about that now, Alice had told herself. She could think about it all she wanted on Friday. Right now she had to plan for possibly one of the biggest interviews of her career. She would not mess it up.

But that was what she was worried about. Wayne had been seen around town with women on each arm. She had seen the pictures. The women were beautiful, and Wayne had certainly grown into a handsome man. But, she told herself, she would not let it get to her.

xxxxxx

The day quickly came to an end. This Wednesday she would _not_ walk home. A lot of good that had done her last week. She did however, stay late. Alice quietly packed her possessions and turned to the door.

"Heading out?" Daniel asked, himself carrying his belongings. He seemed to be everywhere today, Alice thought. She nodded in answer to his question.

"I was just about to go out to my car. Are you leaving too?" She asked, immediately feeling silly for asking such an obvious question. Daniel chuckled.

"Yeah. Mind if I walk you out?" Alice flushed and gave him a smile.

"Not at all." She laughed.

They made small talk as they walked, and Alice laughed at Daniel's smart remarks. The sun was setting on Gotham city, casting long shadows across the lot from the lofty buildings. Alice grew silent while the negative thoughts came rushing back to her. She took a deep breath and looked around the lot, suddenly wishing that she was home already.

"…Alice?" Daniel's voice came. She drug herself back to the situation at hand. "This is your car, isn't it?" Daniel laughed.

"Oh, yeah, you're right. I guess I spaced there. I've done that a lot today, actually." She laughed herself and stepped back to her car. She gripped the handle tightly, her knuckled white in anticipation of actually getting in. "Thanks for walking me, Daniel." She gave him a warm smile. Her heart pounded in her chest, from fear, but also from Daniel standing so close to her in the evening light.

"Alice…" He began, but turned as a police car whizzed past them, sirens wailing.

"Yes?" She asked, a hopeful tone in her voice that she tried to hide with a cough. Daniel looked back at her.

"…have a good night." He finished. Daniel gave her a small smile and left, to his own car across the street. Alice got in her car and slammed the door, disappointed for some reason. She set off to her home, indifferent to the sleep that would come later.

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**A/N: **Aw, I hope you're not disappointed in this chapter. I know it was a little boring, but still R&R, okay? :) And I'm sure you're catching on to what might happen here, and I hope you like it. :D Thanks for reading!


	6. Questions

A/N: OH MY GOSH. I am so sorry, this took me forever to write! I procrastinated a lot. I was also writing a lot for the later chapters. I hope you're all still interested! Haha, I really hope you enjoy this. Thank you to my cousin, Fluffyandrin for all the help! [: R&R!

The setting sun displayed an array of colors onto the manicured lawns of Wayne Manor. It was a gorgeous evening in the first place, but the light hitting the west side of the manor made it even more so.

Alice gripped the steering wheel tightly. The vastness of the grounds made her head spin. And to think that Bruce Wayne was right inside…waiting for her. She was still surprised that he would let a reporter come to his home.

Eventually she made herself get out of the car and ascend the steps to the front doors. With a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. She could hear the loud chime echo thought the house. Then, soft footsteps on marble floors. The door was quietly opened by an older man, years of wisdom showing on his lined face.

"Are you here for Master Wayne, ma'am?" He inquired with a British inflection. Alice gave him a smile.

"Yes, I am. I hope I'm not early…" she checked her watch even though she knew exactly what time it was.

"Not at all. Come in." He opened the door wider and Alice strolled inside. It was beautiful. To the right there was a tall staircase. To the left there was the main room. Above her hung a large chandelier adorned with crystals. She let a small gasp escape her lips as she shrugged off her coat. He led her to the front room.

"Master Wayne isn't here yet, but he will be shortly. Please, sit." Alice nodded and sat down. She took out her audio recorder and her notepad. She took in the large room and all its fixtures. Soon she became immersed in her thoughts, and stared off into space. The man came and lit a fire, and the flames danced before her eyes. Several more minutes passed before she heard footsteps behind her. She stood and turned.

No one had seen him in six years, but where he had been, he had grown into a man, handsome and rich.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I had some business to attend to." He announced, and held out his hand. Alice took it.

"It's not a problem. I'm Alice Huntley." He smiled and shook her hand, nodding.

"Yes. You're from the Gossip, right?" They sat on the couch and faced each other.

"Right. We're all excited to have an interview with you, Mr. Wayne. Thank you for your time." Alice couldn't wipe the smile off her face. The warm smile he gave her was almost too much.

"Well, I've been doing a lot of interviews lately. Let's get started." Alice nodded.

"Mr. Wayne, what made you want to leave?" He answered her simply.

"I wanted to see things outside of Gotham. I figured that the world was waiting for me."

"So you traveled the world?" He nodded and rubbed his chin, thinking.

"Yes. England, Ireland, Italy. Everywhere."

They went on like this for a bit, but then he called in his butler, and asked him to bring a bottle of wine. It made her head spin after a bit.

"Mr. Wayne…how did you…cope?" She asked, staring into the flames. A scarecrow danced in front of her, and she shook her head to get rid of the vision. She instead focused on Wayne. Had he been sitting that close before?

"I was lonely for a long time. In short, I was distressed."

"Mmm. Mr. Wayne-"

"Please, call me Bruce, Ms. Huntley."

"Then call me Alice." She giggled. "So…" she began. "Do you have any more butlers? Or just…him?" Bruce laughed shortly.

"No, just Alfred. He's been with my family for a long time." Alice nodded, and was silent.

"Were you…scared when they died?" She wondered if he felt fear.

"Yes." He answered, keeping a steady gaze on her.

"But…" She searched her cloudy mind for the right words. "Do you think it was your fault?" Bruce looked a little taken aback by her forwardness, but he knew it was the wine. He thought for a moment.

"I did…at first. But I know now that there's nothing I could have done." Alice giggled.

"Of course there wasn't!" She spread out her arms, hitting Bruce in the chest. He grabbed her arm, and she looked at him. She blinked a couple times. What was she doing again? She looked about the room, and spotted the wine. She reached for it, but Bruce pulled her back.

"I don't think so." He said softly. Alice leaned over to him and looked up at him. He still held her arm.

"I get scared sometimes." She whispered, staring into the fire again, and then looking at Bruce.

"Oh really?"

"Dr. Crane…helps me though." He furrowed his eyebrows a bit, as if storing this information. Alice felt the need to giggle all of a sudden and did, then looked up at Bruce.

"Do you want to kiss me now?" She asked quietly, the words tumbling from her mouth before she could stop herself. He laughed, quietly. He then leaned down and softly kissed her. He kissed her cheek first, but trailed a short line down to her lips. Alice closed her eyes to take it in, but he pulled away. She wanted to object, but he pulled her to her feet.

"I don't think you should drive home." He whispered into her ear. He brushed a few hairs out of her black face, and put an arm around her waist. He gathered her things for her, and led her into the kitchen.

"Alfred, drive Ms. Huntley home." Alice blinked and looked at him. Why hadn't he used her first name?

"Right away sir." Alfred answered. Bruce let go of her.

"Have a nice night, Alice." She giggled and stumbled away from him, looking back as she went out the door. Alfred helped her into the car, and she sat with her face glued to the window, watching her breath fog up the glass. She told him where she lived, and they were at the apartment in a short amount of time. She gave him her car key so he could drive her car back to the apartments, and stumbled up the stairs. She walked inside and tosses her purse to the side. Toby weaved around her feet, and she almost fell over him. She flopped herself down on her bed and laughed, quickly falling asleep.

A/N: Yay! I hoped you liked it, and I hope Bruce wasn't out of character or anything. Thank you for all the reviews so for, hope to get more! ;D Well thank you for reading, R&R!


	7. Oops

Oh my goodness! Finally, right? I know, I know, I put this off for WAY to long! I just didn't have the proper inspiration! I tried and tried but nothing came to me. But it finally clicked! And now we have chapter seven! Hooray! (Perhaps you might want to go back and re-read Chapter six, first. I know I had to. :P)

* * *

Waking up that morning was not the most splendid thing to happen to Alice. At all. She was spread eagle on her bed, and herself and her clothes were sweaty from last nights sleep. Her eyelids were heavy, and each of Toby's barks made it seem like her whole apartment was shaking. A cold shower was the only thing that made her wake up, and remember what had happened.

_What had happened. Last night. With Bruce Wayne._

No. No. No. She had not done that.

But Alice had. She hadn't gotten drunk, but she had been at least tipsy- she remembered that. She had asked stupid questions. The last few notes in her notebook were scribbles, and she couldn't find her voice recorder anywhere. Her head pounded with a headache as she swallowed some aspirin and got ready for work.

She hoped that Bruce Wayne was a decent enough man to keep this to himself. She didn't need a reputation of being (and she blushed, just thinking of her stupidity) the ditzy reporter that had gotten drunk and kissed Bruce Wayne. Although, Bruce Wayne often had women hanging off him. Maybe it wasn't such a big deal. It was a nice thought, but she knew that it was ridiculous. It just wasn't acceptable to get tipsy and ask to kiss Bruce Wayne. Not in any situation, especially when she was supposed to be being professional.

At work, nothing, nobody, was amiss. Alice was glad of this, no one knew what had happened in the previous twenty-four hours. She settled in, making the best of her day.

A hand rapped on the front desk, but Annie's eyes stayed glued to the paper she was writing.

"Just a second, please." She stated. She heard the man tip her name plate up to read it. He leaned over the desk.

"Anastasia?" He persisted, his voice giving her goose bumps. "Please. It's important." Annie sighed, and looked up. She dropped her pen when she saw him.

"Mr. Wayne…how can I help you?" She asked, growing stiff and a blush crossing her cheeks.

"I need to speak with Alice Huntley." He remarked. Annie nodded.

"I-I'll go get her." She stuttered, and quickly went down to the offices. She approached Alice's door, and rapped on it, dancing from foot to foot.

Alice sat at her desk, drowning in the task ahead of her, and the rest of her work. She sighed and pulled out her notes, and began to type away.

A few moments later Alice heard knocking on her door. She looked and saw Annie, and waved her to come in. She turned back to her computer as she entered.

"Alice, you need to come out here."

"Just a second, Annie, I'm working on something important."

"Alice…it's important."

"It'll have to wait! Just hold on!"

"Alice! I'm serious, you _need_ to get out here _right_ now." Alice sighed and turned to her.

"Fine. What is it?"

"Bruce. Wayne." She whispered urgently. Alice's eyes widened. It suddenly made sense why Annie had been so persistent. What was he doing here? She didn't want to talk about last night. She would probably drop dead if he had come to talk about that. She nodded wordlessly, stood, and followed Annie to the front desk. And there he was, standing silently, looking around.

_Don't get me fired. Don't get me fired._ She silently pleaded. Alice's heart beat fast in her chest as she approached him. She cleared her throat, and he turned around.

"Mr. Wayne. How can I help you?" Alice plastered on a smile. She folded her hands in front of her, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"It's nice to see you, Ms. Huntley." He began. Alice took his outstretched hand.

"It's a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Wayne. What brings you to the Gossip today? Did you have a question about your interview?" She stayed as professional as possible, all the while pushing away memories from last night that kept running through her mind.

"Thank you. Ah, no, I came to bring you this." He dug down into his pocket and pulled out a silver rectangle, which she recognized to be her voice recorder. She gratefully took it from his hand.

"Oh, thank you so much! I thought I had lost it for sure- thank you!" She spluttered. Relief washed over her. At least it hadn't gotten into the hands of some reporter.

"Not a problem. I would have had it sent to you, but I figured you'd need it. And I was on my way to Wayne tower, anyway." Alice nodded.

"It was very kind of you. Is there anything else I can do for you Mr. Wayne?"

"Actually, Ms. Huntley, I was wondering-" Before He could finish, Alice spotted Chris coming in the door carrying a large box. Seeing that he was struggling, she ran to open the door for him.

"Thanks, Alice. UPS just dropped off copies of the latest Gossip."

"No problem. You got it?" Chris nodded and continued on his way, giving Bruce Wayne a curious look. "Oh, Mr. Wayne, I'm sorry." Alice apologized. He nodded and walked towards her.

"It's fine. Have a good day, Ms. Huntley." Alice smiled, and opened the door for him. Once he stepped outside, he turned around.

"Ms. Huntley?" He called. Alice looked around to make sure no one was watching, and stepped outside. He smiled at her. "What are you doing on Friday?" Alice blinked and her cheeks flushed red.

"Uhm, I'm busy. Why...why do you ask?" She squeaked.

"Because I wanted to know." He revealed. "What are you doing?"

"I told you, I'm busy."

"Yes, but _what_ are you doing?"

"That's really none of your business, Mr. Wayne." She countered.

"Why not?" He smirked.

"Well...it just isn't! Isn't it enough that I told you I was busy?" Alice looked down at the ground in embarrassment. A few people walked by and stared at them. "I should really get back inside."

"Come on. What's the big deal, Alice?" He took a step towards her, ad Alice stiffened at his use of her first name.

"Mr. Wayne, really-"

"Bruce."

"-Bruce, really. I just can't, okay? I...I have an appointment with my psychiatrist tomorrow. Happy?"

"With Dr. Crane?" Alice's head shot up.

"How'd you know...did I...?" He nodded. Alice flushed again.

"Great. Well, now you know. And I should _really_ get back to work now. Goodbye, Mr...Bruce." She gave him a weak smile and turned to go inside.

"At least think about it!" He called after her. She walked inside, ignoring him. She breathed a sigh of relief to be away from him at last. It seemed that being awkward was a key quality of hers.

"What was that about?" Alice jumped at Daniel's question. She turned to her left, where she hadn't seen him a moment ago. She composed herself and smiled at him.

"What was what?" He raised an eyebrow at her."Oh, that?" she asked, waving it off. "That was Bruce Wayne. He gave me my voice recorder back. I managed to leave it at Wayne Manor last night." She held it up for him to see.

"Oh, nice! Hey, let's hear what you got!" He went to grab it from her. Alice backed away from him.

"Oh, uhm, I really have to get this stuff written down."

"Great! We can go to your office and listen to it!" He offered. Alice would have been delighted at this offer any other time if she didn't want anyone to hear the tape so badly.

"No! I mean...I just have to do this." She smiled at him. "Okay?" Daniel gave her a confused look, but nodded.

"Alright then...I'll talk to you later?" Alice nodded enthusiastically, then went on her way.

In her office, she played what had been recorded. It started out like she had remembered it, but grew anxious for the end. She sped it up, and listened.

_"Do you want to kiss me now?"_ She heard her tipsy self ask. She groaned and shut off the recorder, holding her head in her hands. She didn't want to listen to anymore of her babbling, her making a fool of herself. Enough of that had already been done today.

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Longest chapter yet? I think so! Thank you for reading, and if you have, for keeping with me! I honestly do feel kind of bad that this took me so long, but I'm pretty happy with it. R&R!


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